The Lost Battalion
by Trooper 3.6
Summary: A twist of fate. An event changed as the mansion incident is interrupted by a lost group of soldiers for whom the war never ended. Alice receives a rude awakening as ghosts of her past return.
1. Chapter 1

Author's notes: Hello everyone, I've been thinking about this one for a long time and now finally here it is. My first ever Pumpkin Scissors fan fic. This is also one of my few non cross over fanfics with my own original characters in it as well as the show's regular cast. Enjoy and please review.

Lt. Raymond Hunter looked through his binoculars at the lavish mansion on the snowy mountain. It was beaming with light, a cultured party for the elite of the empire. No doubt it was filled with self-important snobs who think they're the rulers of the universe. But tonight they were in for a rude awakening.

In a matter of minutes, Ray and his comrades in arms would storm the mansion. Years of bloodshed and carnage would be avenged upon the semi-secret society that instigated it. Ray and his motley crew were also eager to avenge their own unjust imprisonment by the Empire after the war had "ended". But the armistice solved nothing. The power-hungry bastards who'd started the war were never brought to justice. Tonight, Ray and his fellow Libertine soldiers would get some justice.

"Are you sure about this whole thing, Ray?" asked his little brother Jack. Sergeant Jack Hunter was kneeling beside him in the snow. Ray turned to look his brother in the eye, his only remaining green eye, like their mothers'.

"You're damn right I'm sure," he said. A chill of the winter night air creeped up his back, prompting him to reach into his leather jacket for his whiskey flask. He took a good swig of the whiskey (John David's, from their home province of the Commonwealth of Libertine), it had that good hard natural spice to it. He shook the flask. Empty. A bad omen. Oh well, there'd be plenty of booze in the mansion.

Ray willed his hand to stop shaking as he replaced the flask in his jacket. It's just the cold, he told himself. "The bastard will be there, which means other members of the Silver Wheel will be there. We find them, and find out what they know; even if we have to beat it out of them!" Ray finished, almost yelling.

"But there are innocent people in there Ray!" Jack insisted.

"Oh would you keep your damn skirt on!" Ray snapped back. "It'll be a bunch of spineless rich jack-asses! As soon as we bust in and wave the hardware around they'll fold like deuces before a full house," Ray explained. "Some of the snobs may think they have a pair and give us the stink eye. Worse comes to worse, just slap them around a little bit. But leave the interrogating to me and Buck," he said with a wink to his childhood friend, crouched to his left. Corporal Robert "Buck" O'Brien nodded, touching the barrel of his shotgun to his helmet, in what passed as a salute to him.

"Okay, fine!" Jack grunted. "Let's just try not to hurt anyone who doesn't deserve it."

"So in other words, we should just douse the place in petrol right here and now!" said Buck with a throaty laugh that stank of whiskey. Ray gave a short chuckle too. Jack rolled his eyes.

"You two drink too much of that damn sauce, you know!" Jack growled. "What if they get a message out before we can secure the building? How the hell are we gonna hold our own with both our 'fearless leaders' drunk? Or even secure the damn building?"

"Exercise in futility, Laddie," Sergeant-Major Sean McCloud sighed from behind them.

"Well hell, we hardly had a sip since supper time," shrugged Buck. Ray just rolled his eyes. "What, now you think you're our mother?" In an instant Ray turned and gripped Buck hard by the shoulder. Buck winced in pain and looked into Ray's eyes, they were blazing with rage. Buck sighed. "Hell, I'm sorry Ray, you too Jack. It just slipped out its all," he said. The fire in Ray's eyes extinguished, as did his grip on Bucks shoulder. For a moment they all stood there in the silence, gazing forward at the well-lite mansion.

"What if she's there?" asked Jack. Ray was silent for a long moment. He looked through his binoculars again. He could make out a few fine tuxedos and bell dresses through the windows. It looked like a scene out of an old fairy tale. Ray had grown to hate fairy tales over the years. All they offered was false promises and empty dreams.

It definitely would have seemed like a fairy tale if she were there when they stormed in. A wayward, battle –scarred, peasant soldier, limping into a nobility ball. Looking around at all the festivities and luxuries deemed "too good for him" by society. Then stopping in his tracks as the bell of the ball appears before him. A beautiful princess. She recognizes him and smiles that slow, shy smile she always did. The other fops grimace and snarl, disgusted at a reminder of how the "little people" live. Neither he nor she notices. He staggers towards her, scarred, bruised, and covered with mud and blood. Her blue eyes glisten like the ocean on a sunny day. Her blonde hair shines like a wheat field at noon. She embraces and kisses him. Then all the pain goes away. And they both live happily ever after…

Bullshit! Ray cursed in his mind. Nothing like that happens here. Not in the real world. It was a pleasant fantasy as it played out in his mind. Ray wanted to thank Jack and the others for not talking. But a fantasy was all it was; a lie. He blinked and shook his head. She wouldn't be here. This sort of thing was never her cup of tea. No she wouldn't be here. Ray thanked God for that. His first prayer in years.

"This isn't her thing Jack, you know that," he grumled. "Get on the radio with companies B and C. Tell them to move in and surround the mansion. No one moves in until we kick in the main door."

"Roger that, Lieutenant," Jack answered bitterly, there was only a hint of hesitance in his voice. But the blonde-haired sergeant repeated his CO's orders into the radio. He then readied his sniper rifle. Ray gave him a proud nod. Even with one eye, there was no better sniper in the Libertine Army. Or in the Lost Battalion, at the very least.

"A Company move out!" Ray grunted loudly. With that, three hundred men made their way through the snow. They stepped carefully down a slope littered with pine trees. A few men stumbled and rolled down. Thankfully none were hurt, a deep snow bank waited at the bottom. Even more thankfully none of their weapons had gone off in the fall. The Libertine troops in well-worn and stained uniforms brushed themselves off and began their march up the slope to the mansion.

Ray checked his .45 caliber sub-machine gun; a tommy-gun they called it. He considered himself lucky to still have it. Most of his men carried looted Imperial Army weapons; bolt actions, a few automatics, and machine pistols. But they all still had their uniforms, or at least parts of them. One of the few things that mad-woman didn't take from them. Many of the men still had nightmares at camp about her sick experiments.

Ray shook the past from his mind. With any luck, they'd soon have all the intel they needed to hunt down the bastards who imprisoned and tortured them for so many years, and give them the hard goodbye.

They were just on the edge of the tree line when Ray saw something. He held up his fist, ordering the men to halt. The men crouched to the ground and readied their weapons in unison with their commander. A mob was coming up the road to the mansion. It reminded Ray of the lynch mobs in the old days, when a man was found committing a crime and the townspeople didn't want to waste the systems time. Some of them had guns, all of them looked angry. Something told Ray they were there for the same reason he was. Revenge.

"What the hell are they doing?" Buck whispered beside him.

"Probably the same thing we are, looking for blood." Ray answered.

"Let's go up there and scare them off." Jack suggested. "They look pissed, but we can change their minds."

"We could blow their minds out the back of their skulls," Buck giggled. Jack glared at the bigger, bearded man. "Oh!" Buck huffed. "The sniper with a conscience! They'll only cause us trouble. Like LT said, they're out for blood! And even if we DO scare them off, they'll just run and tell the army about us!"

"Shut the hell up!" Ray snapped. "Radio B and C, tell them to hold their positions and not to move in until we do. We'll let them take care of step one for us," he finished with a smile.

The mob split up. A dozen or so made for the main entrance. Another dozen made for the windows. They brought shovels, picks, hammers, and ladders with them. A handful of them had shotguns, rifles, and pistols. The leader was carrying an old muzzle-loader pistol. Those had been out of date for decades.

"Bunch a damn farmers with pitch forks!" Buck giggled. "How the hell did these guys fight us to a stalemate in the war? They're at each other's damn throats!"

"Looks like the people have gotten as fed up with their pompous princes as the Republic and Libertine were of their warmongering," said McCloud. Similar comments came from the others soldiers. Some thought they should march up there and join them. Disgruntled farmers weren't your ideal recruits, but a battalion of escaped POWs could always use some more hands. Ray entertained the notion briefly, but he was way too sober for that kind of stupidity. The mob wouldn't sympathize with Libertine troops. Some of them might have fought in the war, most of them probably lost friends and loved ones in it. And their economy wouldn't be in the tank if they'd won the war. The mob was likely to hate them as much as the nobility.

Loud crashes split the air as the mob crashed through the windows with their ladders. The leader and his men charged through the front doors and fired off a warning shot. The peasant rabble swarmed in through the doors and windows, brandishing their meager, but deadly, weapons. Ray had to admire them. They knew how to crash a party.

He gave the signal to move up. They advanced cautiously across the road and up the stone steps of the mansion. They formed up on the door, weapons primed and ready. Jack gave the radio call for the other companies to advance. The loud roar of a car engine rumbled up from somewhere downhill. Shouting in Imperial was heard. Then a loud crash. Ray and his men all froze. Was it the Imperial Army? Already?!

Jack broke the silence. "LT, B Company just reported an imperial army lorry just crashed through the side wall."

"Just one?" asked Ray. Jack nodded. What the hell was going on? Were they part of the uprising? Rogue troops joining the mob? No time. The alarm could be given by radio or phone any minute. Ray cursed himself for not thinking of cutting the phone wires. All that booze back at camp got him so fired up about he hadn't thought much farther than finding the high-born bastard with the intel they needed and making him sing like a canary. Jack was right. In one of his finer moments of self-deception, Ray promised himself he'd admit it to his brother later.

More shouting was heard coming from inside. Whatever was going on and whatever else he could have done, Ray knew it was now or never. Never wasn't an option. The men were all in place and awaiting orders. They were committed. No going back. Another winter in the trenches. He nodded to his brother, who radioed the order to move in.

Buck lifted his mighty booted leg and kicked in the doors with all his might. The half-drunk giant charged in with his shotgun leveled. Ray was worried his childhood friend might blast the first person he sees in half with that howitzer. Another set of double-doors, another might kick and Buck plowed into the mob leader. He grappled the pistol-wielding rebel to the ground and brained him with the butt of the gun. An instant later he aimed up and fired into the ceiling. A chandelier came crashing down. The clang of the impact was drowned out by more screams; the nobles panicking again, the mob joining them, Rays' men shouting over the clatter and waving their guns around. A few more warning shots went up. Jack began shouting in the Imperial language.

The rebels were total push-overs. In mere secants they all threw down their guns and held up their hands. Ray was slightly disappointed. If these guys had any balls they might have stood the ghost of a chance against the Imperial Army. If they couldn't handle a rag-tag battalion of half-starved Libertine troops, their little rebellion was over before it began.

The men ordered the mob down on their knees. Buck spat on one of them. "Buncha Pussies," he growled. His face lit up and a shark smile spread across his lips as he noticed the finely adorned ladies of the ball. A half dozen of them trembled, wide-eyed, against a buffet table. There was hunger in Bucks' eyes. He wasn't looking at the buffet.

"Well Guten tag, fraulines!" Buck said as he approached the terrified women. "No need for alarm," he went on in his best Imperial, which wasn't very good. "My brothers and I are here to liberate this mansion in the name of the Commonwealth of Libertine! But as you ladies can see, there is a war on. So I'm afraid before we can officially clear you as non-combatants, I must escort all ladies to the back room for strip-searches." The ladies recoiled in horror, some of them looked ready to faint.

Ray was about to say something when McCloud approached the over-grown mountaineer from behind and pressed a magnum revolver to the back of his head. "Please, laddie," he said. "For the love of God and all things sacred," he paused to thumb back the hammer, "lay a hand on those girls." Buck tensed. Ray was sure he was about to turn and pummel the white bearded old man. He did turn, but only smiled and held up his arms in submission.

"Oh, no no no no!" he giggled. "The festivities have gone to my head is all!" His mischievous smile wouldn't have fooled a four-year-old, but Ray knew him well enough to know it was alright. "I just got a little carried away their sergeant-major. Besides I don't think you need to be acting like their papa! I'm sure these fine ladies can make their own life-choices, bad as they may be." McCloud held his aim. "Tell you what, why don't I just move right on over here and introduce myself to them there, Imperial troopers," he said. McCloud lowered his pistol as Buck turned his shark smile to the two troops in the lorry. Another, very tall soldier was already holding up his hands in submission beside a woman in a fancy dress. Ray ignored them.

Soon the ball room was swarming with Libertine troops. All armed for bear, all looking at the elite of the nation that imprisoned and tortured them. Even without their death-glares, the libertines must have looked terrifying. Their uniforms were nearly in tatters, many stained from months living in the mountains, others stained with blood. Since the winter chill set in they hadn't even been able to bath in the river for fear of frostbite, the smell didn't do them any favors. They were all still strong and battle-hardened. The Empire kept them well fed to survive the tortures they endured since the armistice. But since their escape they'd been living off the forest and whatever they could beg, barrow, or steal. They all looked gaunt and sickly. It was booze stolen from breweries and wine cellars and a thirst for revenge that fueled Rays' lost battalion. It was a miracle some of the men hadn't started shooting the fops already!

Ray was about to call out the name of their target when a familiar woman dressed in black called out. "Mr. McCloud!" the raven haired woman in the mourning dress gasped. "Is that you?" She gazed wide-eyed at the sergeant-major. The old man rubbed his eyes and smiled warmly.

"Well, well, is it a dream I'm having is it?" he asked as he stepped toward the lady. "Is that Solice and Elis Malvin these old eyes are beholding?" Ray swallowed hard as the widowed brunette and the blonde at her side embraced McCloud like an uncle. The Malvin children paid many visits to the Hunter family home years ago, and the family butler had always come to the Malvin family estate along with them. Most butlers weren't treated like family by Imperial nobles, but McCloud had a way of growing on people. Even the Malvin children.

Ray and Jack exchanged glances. This was not going to be pleasant once the Malvin girls realized why they were there and who they were there for. Ray was relieved the Malvins hadn't brought their youngest sister as well.

"And the little Miss Alice!" McCloud called out as the short blonde beside the tall soldier walked toward him.

"Shit!" Ray hissed under his breath. He clutched his face. Why? Why did she have to be here? All the fop parties in all the mansions in all the Empire, and she had to be here! McCloud embraced and greeted the Malvin sisters with all the warmth of family. It was just a matter of secants before he called out to Jack and him. Rays' eyes darted to the nearby buffet table. He saw what he needed. It was the only way he'd keep his nerve. It may dull his senses, but his senses were facing a tidal wave of emotion. He made his way to the table and grabbed the nearest champagne bottle.

The captive rebels and nobles stood dumbstruck as one of their captors smiled and laughed with the ladies. The libertines were confused too. Ray envied them as he raised the bottle to his lips. Ignorance really was bliss. The bubbly booze tasted great going down. The first swig of fine champagne he'd ever had. He cursed his father for not letting him tasted it sooner. Now he knew why only the rich could afford it!

"Raymond, Jacky, look who's here!" McCloud called out. The Malvin sisters turned and scanned the room. Most of the men were still wearing their helmets, like Ray. Jack wasn't. The sisters stopped and stared in shock at the one-eyed man, who was barely ten the last time they'd seen him. Jack, with his blonde hair and natural boyishness had always been the favorite of the Malvin sisters. Except for one of them, maybe. In the blink of an eye the sisters were all embracing the blonde sniper at once. Now it was the Libertine troops turn to stare wide-eyed. The sisters were beaming with adoration.

"Jack, you're all grown up now!" the sisters exclaimed in unison. If Ray was any drunker he'd have been rolling with laughter. The Malvins fussed over his eye and the scars on his face. Who had ruined his face? He was so handsome now! Jack blushed crimson. Rays' brother had always hated being the center of attention. Not that he didn't love being adored by women.

Ray took another deep swig of the bottle. "LT?" Buck called softly. "How come Mac, and Jack get to frolic with the ladies and I don't?" he asked mockingly. Ray shot him a glare that said "shut the hell up!" Buck folded his arms and leaned back on the lorry. McCloud chuckled at Jack. At least someone was enjoying himself.

Another swig of the bubbling wine and a familiar voice gasped, "Ray!" The LTs' blood froze in his veins as he turned to her. The bottle slipped from his fingers and shattered on the floor. Those eyes. The most beautiful eyes in the world. Ray wasn't nearly ready for this. He saw how her sunshine hair was put up, the shimmering golden dress with matching gloves. It was just like his fantasy back in the woods. If he had been holding the bottle he'd have dropped it again. She was so beautiful!

"Oh bloody hell!" McCloud gasped and shook his head. The old man and his brother kept trying to get him off the sauce. Like there was anything else to drink at camp! Jack, still wrapped in the arms of Solice and Elis, sighed deeply and hung his head. Ray took back his promise to admit his error to Jack.

Alice took no notice. She just stared at Ray in awe. Her eyes glistened, like she would burst into tears. Ray stared back. He searched for the right words. What could he say? How could he say it?

"So what happens now, LT?" Buck asked. "You talk? She talks? Maybe that back room I mentioned before is still available if you two need a little privacy?" he finished with a howl of laughter. Ray was starting to feel the booze working.

"You know I will shoot you one day!" Ray snapped. Buck just laughed some more. Alice snapped out of her trance and blushed as she searched for the right words. "What the hell are you all staring at?" Ray shouted. He began single soldiers out and giving them orders. "Secure the entrances! Take shooting positions on the windows! Find and destroy all telephones! Keep the prisoners under control! Everyone get military and get there quick! We've got a war to continue!" he hid behind the uniform. The only safe place for him now.

Jack broke free of the Malvins embrace and moved to the windows with the other snipers. McCloud gently guided the sisters back to the other honored guests of the ball. The tall soldier cautiously moved back to the lorry, where Buck kept a watchful eye on him and the other two soldiers. Ray scanned the crowd. Where was the bastard? He was nowhere to be seen. He had to be there!

Alice stepped forward, McCloud kept in front of her but kept his pistol holstered. "Ray?" she said. He looked at her. She stumbled on her words for a moment. "I thought you were dead," she said in wonder. Ray reached for another bottle.

"Sorry to disappoint," he thoughtlessly blurted out as he fiddled with the cork. Alice gasped.

"That's not what I –"

"I know what you meant," Ray cut her off. He cursed himself for what he said. "Nice job Ray, very mature!" he wanted to say. Ray grimaced as he realized he almost stole his kid brothers' line. He thumbed at the cork again.

"Lieutenant, If I may have a word with you?" McCloud called out as he realized his CO was about to get to work on another bottle. A loud pop and a spray of bubbles cut him off. Ray took a swig and the old man kept his mouth shut. Alice blinked in surprise as she finally noticed Ray had been drinking. Great! Now he had to deal with her judgements too!

The youngest Malvin sister, shook herself and hardened her gaze. She was taking charge, like always. "Lieutenant Ray Hunter! What is the meaning of all this?" she demanded. Had she become a soldier? If so Ray wouldn't be surprised. "The emperor signed the armistice! The war is over!"

"Not for us it isn't," Ray replied calmly. "Not for us who spent the past three years locked up in one of your little hell-holes!" Alice blinked and gasped in confusion. She didn't know. Of course she didn't. The best way to tell a lie was to keep it a secret. An unknown, unknown; something people don't even know that they don't know about. And with such high casualties and so many obliterated and mangled bodies, who was to say a missing person was dead or captured?

"But you wouldn't know anything about that would you, Alice?" Ray asked rhetorically. He stepped toward her, keeping a firm grip on the bottle this time. Again Alice was at a loss for words. She trembled as he stepped closer. "Your father, on the other hand," Ray began with another swig, "He might be able to shed some light on all this. Him and his little friends with the Silver Wheel!" he went on. Ray stopped only a foot away from the girl he loved. "Where is he?"


	2. Chapter 2

14 years earlier…

Another visit to the Empire. Another stuffy party with finely dressed guests, delicious treats, and plenty of shiny bottles that young Ray was not allowed to drink from. He didn't get the big deal. He'd be fifteen years old in a few months! But Mr. Hunter's word was law.

"Never you mind, laddie!" Mac had laughed and given him a hard pat on the shoulder earlier. "There be plenty of time for that nonsense when you're older. Enjoy a clear mind, while you can." Ray loved McCloud like an uncle, but the old man could be a bit over the top.

The food was good but the stuffiness was suffocating, as such parties always were. Ray sighed as he retreated out of the ball room and onto a balcony. He let the chilly winter wind sooth his over-heated head. Being the son of one of the wealthiest industrialists in the Commonwealth of Libertine was not as easy as it looked.

"There you are!" came the soft, lovely voice Alice Malvin. He turned to see her standing in a shimmering golden dress. Her hair up in a bun. She looked like a princess out of one of those old imperial legends, her father and mother use to talk about. She was beautiful!

"Wow," Ray said. He meant to say hello, but it came out different. Alice recoiled and blushed, she was shocked. She clutched her shoulders and turned her head away from her long-time friend. She looked like he had walked into her room while she was dressing. A notion that had, in recent years, peaked Ray's interest.

"Why do you stare like that?" she asked, her voice trembled. "I'm nothing so fancy to look at." She seemed afraid of her own beauty. Ray blinked and began to blush himself.

"Sorry," he gasped. "I didn't mean to stare. It's just you look really… really pretty," he said hesitantly. Alice looked at him cautiously. Her eyes were glassy. Like Ray, she never liked parties. And she hated being dolled up in a dress every bit as much as he hated being strapped into a tuxedo, like the one he wore now. Those things were so uncomfortable! Why do rich people torture themselves with them? Ray could only speculate that fine dresses and fancy high-heels were equally uncomfortable for girls.

"Thank you, Ray," she said with her shy smile.

"For what?" Ray blinked.

"For not calling me beautiful," she answered. "They all call me that. My sisters, my father, the guests," she explained as she approached the marble rail of the balcony beside Ray. "They look at me like I'm some kind of dazzling star, or the moon. Something celestial and brilliant," she went on, looking up to the stary night sky above. Ray saw the stars reflecting in her eyes. He stopped himself from exhaling the word she dreaded to hear. "I'm nothing so special as all that."

"You know, they mean it as a compliment right?" Ray asked. She nodded with a sigh. He didn't understand what she hated so much about being called what she was. "Besides, honesty is the best policy, or so my dad says. They're just stating a proven fact of nature. Your nature! Haven't you ever heard of natural beauty?..."

"Stop!" Alice wailed and slapped her hands over her ears. "I just told you I don't want to hear that!" she fussed as she turned and began pounding Ray's chest with her fists. Ray could only laugh, which only made her pound harder, which did little to make him stop laughing. Alice had always been feisty and prone to getting in fights. She had the temper for it, but she lacked the strength. Always picking fights with bigger kids and needing someone to come to her rescue. Then she'd insist she didn't need rescuing.

Eventually the girl's strength wore out and her hands came to a rest on Ray's chest. She began using him to hold herself up, his height didn't make it easy for her. Ray, like most boys, towered over her. As she panted for breath and gripped his chest like she'd topple over without him, Ray acted on an impulse he often wanted to, but seldom had the nerve to. He gently wrapped his arms around her and held her.

Alice went stiff. She always did when he embraced her. But there was something different this time. He felt her trembling. Was she afraid? "I'm just trying to hold you up," he lied softly. Alice seemed to relax, but he could still feel her trembling. "Do you want me to let go?" he asked.

"No," she answered. A moment later she returned his embrace. The two of them held each other close. Alice seemed as enveloped by the embrace as Ray was. Like she'd forgotten all about bludgeoning him with her fists. He looked down at her head. The starlight and the moon brought out a special shine in her yellow hair. He lifted his hand and began stroking it. Soon she looked up into his eyes. Ray realized what he wanted to do. Did she feel the same? Would she be angry if he leaned down and…?

"Oh! There you both are!" a familiar voice called from the doorway. Ray and Alice leapt away from each other with a yelp. Alice's older sisters both stood smiling in the doorway. Solice giggled lightly. Elis gave a toothy smile with mischief in her eyes. Like she had caught them in some indecent act. "I can see you really ARE considering what father suggested the other day, sis!" Elis laughed with a wink.

"NO! THAT'S NOT IT AT ALL!" Alice shrieked. She flailed her hands wildly and frantically explained that she had just gotten tired and Ray was holding her up. Not technically a lie, but her sisters didn't look convinced. Ray sulked and shook his head. He was a little hurt that Alice was denying their romantic moment, but he couldn't help but smile.

"Don't worry, I promise we won't tell father how enthusiastic about it you both are," Solice mildly chimed in.

"Anyway, father is done with his business with Mr. and Mrs. Hunter now, and he wants you to come in so he can propose a toast in your honor," Elis explained. Alice turned bright red. In an instant she had thrown her arms back around Ray and was holding on for dear life. Squeezing a bit too hard for Ray's comfort.

"No! I can't! I won't! I can't stand being stared at anymore today!" Alice cried. Her sisters were not about to take no for an answer. They marched right over, grabbed her by the shoulders and pried her away from Ray with startling strength. Alice continued to protest to no avail.

"You will honor this family and come when father says!" Elis commanded. Ray waited till the glass door swung shut before he burst out laughing. He really wanted to go in and see the look on Alice's face when all those people adored her. Her face would be as red as the wine in their glasses.

Ray turned to the railing and sighed deeply at the snowy, mountainous scenery. The stars shone bright, but a storm front rumbled in the distance. Soon it would be time to go in. But not yet. He wouldn't embarrass Alice more by watching it. As a child he use to revel in her embarrassment. He use to smile and make faces at her at similar parties to annoy her. But in recent years he became gentler with her. He considered her feelings and tried to encourage more than tease her. Although he still, immensely, enjoyed giving her a hard time.

Wait! What did Elis mean about her father's suggestion? What did Solice think they were "enthusiastic" about? Then something his father had said at breakfast came to mind. While Ray munched on strips of juicy, chewy bacon, Mr. Hunter had asked him how he felt about marriage. Ray was so startled he fumbled and dropped the fork on his plate with a loud clang. He had never thought that far ahead! He said as much and reminded his father there were still more than three years left until he could legally marry. His father had laughed and pointed out that at age fifteen a boy and a girl could marry if their parents approved. He dropped the subject there and moved the conversation on to other things. Ray didn't think any more of it.

Was that it? Was Mr. Hunter conspiring with Lord Malvin to arrange a marriage between Ray and Alice? The nobles of the Empire were always arranging marriages for political and financial benefit, and Ray's father had been able to create a prosperous export and importation trade between the Commonwealth and the Empire through Lord Malvin. Was this that business father was discussing with his lordship?

Ray was both happy and horrified. On one hand he had barely considered getting married yet. On the other hand he had been growing more and more conscious of his feelings for Alice for some time now. The way he felt while holding her in his arms. How much he wanted to kiss her earlier. There was no more denying it. He was in love with her! He was in love with Alice, and now he was going to marry her! The fear vanished in an instant. He knew he would be happy with her. Then the thought hit him like a punch to the gut. What if she didn't love him?

He braced himself on the railing as the thought of Alice not loving him drained all the energy from his body. Was that why she denied their moment to her sisters? Did she know how he felt and not want to hurt his feelings?

Ray snapped out of his troubled thoughts as a familiar voice whimpered below. He turned to see his mother, father, and little brother being lead out to a black car by two men dressed in black. They were both pointing guns at his parents. Mrs. Hunter was crying and begging. Jack clutched, terrified, at his mother's side. Ray's eyes widened when he realized what was happening. They were being kidnapped!

He opened his mouth the shout for help when a muscular arm wrapped around his neck and locked him in a chock-hold. A bigger man in a black suit, like the others. Ray squirmed, elbowed, and kicked in vain. The man in black giggled darkly as his prey struggled for life. Ray knew he had to think quickly before he blacked out. He could already feel his head pounding. In the only, desperate, plan he could think up, he shifted his weight to turn towards the railing, where it curved toward the mansion. He thrust his feet against it with all his strength. The man tumbled backwards and flipped over the railing. It worked!

The man cried out as they both tumbled three stories to the frozen ground below. They landed with a loud thud and a snapping sound. The man in black went limp. Ray took in a deep gasp of air and struggled free of his dead assailant. He heard the rumble of a car engine up the nearby slope, where the parking lot was. He remembered his family. He had to do something!

Ray quickly turned to the black coated man lying dead on the ground. There was a circle of silver swords embroidered on his coat. Ray ripped it open and, just as he suspected, saw a pistol in a hip holster. He grabbed the gun then felt into his right pocket. A key! He pulled it out. A motorcycle's key! A mischievous grin spread across Ray's face. He loved motorcycles! His mother was terrified for him every time he road one. Now it seemed the one thing that might save them all!

He rushed up the slope to the lot and quickly spotted the one motorcycle in the sea of luxury cars. The lights of the kidnapper's car was still visible down the mountain. Good, it was the middle of the night. The chances were they'd be the only people on the road. Ray stuck the pistol in his belt, hopped on the cycle and roared after them. He didn't even think about rushing back into the mansion and screaming for help. His family was in danger. All he could think of was saving them. He knew how to handle a pistol, his father had taught him years ago. He had to fight them! He had already killed one man that night, to protect his family, he knew he could kill two more.

The storm front rumbled overhead, casting a deeper darkness over the mountain road. It only made the car's headlights brighter to Ray. The cold wind pelted his bare hands and face. Soon a cold rain began to fall. His fingers were growing numb. No time for that. He needed to catch up. The car turned down a less used road. Ray knew these forests and mountains. He had explored them with Alice all through his childhood. The road led to the river!

The car came to a halt at the river bank. Another car was waiting with two other men in black. They dragged their captives out of the car, waving guns in their faces and threatening to make it worse for them if they didn't cooperate. They barely looked up as Ray approached on the cycle. The cycle's headlight was on, they must have thought he was the other man! Perfect! He had the element of surprise!

"Hans!" one of the called out and stepped towards him. "What kept you?" he asked in imperial.

"Hans couldn't make it!" Ray answered as he drew the pistol and shot the man in the head. He leapt from the bike and fired several times. Both men were down. With a loud crack, a searing pain shot through Ray's side. He fell in the mud. His mother scream. He managed enough strength to look up and wished he hadn't. Mother was running towards him. She was crying, or was it the rain? Another gunshot, and blood burst from his mother's chest. Where he heart was. Her eyes widened and she fell face first in the mud beside him.

"NO!" father yelled. Ray heard the thrashing and grunting of a fight. He took no notice. All he could do was look into the vacant eyes of his mom. She didn't blink. No breath escape her mouth into the frigid air.

"Mom!" Ray grunted. No answer. "MOTHER!" he called. She didn't even move! He tried to scream mother again, but only an agonizing cry came out.

"Get out of the way! Break free so I can shoot him!" a man's voice shouted. Soon Jack was kneeling in the mud beside him. He was crying and panting for breath. The freezing rain pelted down harder than ever. Ray could barely feel it. All he could do was keep screaming. He tried to pronounce the word mother. Some of his shouts made an m sound. But he couldn't sound out the rest.

A brilliant light flashed over him. Was it an angel, come to take his mom to heaven? "No! Not yet! Please!" Ray wanted so much to beg. But he couldn't find the words. The sound of a door opening. A gunshot. Another gunshot. Several more! Then silence. Only the rain. Ray couldn't scream anymore. Only cry. He felt his brother's smaller hand grasp his. He grabbed it and squeezed tight.

"Raymond! Jacky!" the thick accent of their butler cried out. "Oh no! No no!" McCloud pleaded. As he came to their side. "No Mrs. Hunter, not you too!" he turned to Ray. "Are you hit lad?" He saw the blood seeping into the mud and looked closely at Ray's side. "Tis only a wee scratch laddie, you'll be alright," he said soothingly. "Now come on, we need to go!" Ray clutched his mother's body and shook his head. McCloud insisted. Ray held tighter. Jack held tight to Ray's side and whimpered.

Soon the foreign butler lost his patience. He wrenched Ray away from the corpse and gave him a mighty slap across the face. Ray's mind scrambled with the impact, but he felt no pain. Mac pulled his face close to his. "The Empire has declared war on the Frost Republic!" he almost shouted. "The Commonwealth will side with the Republic! This is war! Why do you think these imperial bastards did this?" he pointed to what Ray knew he would see. His father's body lying in the mud beside the man who killed him. Mac had riddled the murderer's body with bullets.

"Your father owned the biggest manufacturing company in the country! By killing him they hope to cripple our economy!" McCloud explained. "We need to get out of this country now! You both need to get in the car and we need to get to the border!" The butler dragged Ray to his feet. The boy stared blankly into the old man's eyes. "You are the head of this family now," Mac said gently. "You need to take care of your brother, and you need to let me help you!" he said. Ray swallowed hard and nodded. "Good lad! Now help your brother into the car," he ordered.

Ray turned to Jack, now kneeling in the mud beside him and crying like a toddler. Ray didn't know what to say. What could he say? He said nothing. Instead he bent down and picked his brother up by his shoulders and led him to the car. Mac held the door open patiently as the boys got in.

Ray held his ten-year-old brother in his arms and soothed him for hours as they made their way through the winding mountain roads of the Empire. It wasn't until daylight the next morning, after they had sped past a shocked squad of imperial soldiers and over a bridge into the Republic of Frost, that Ray found his voice again.

"What now?" he asked his butler. His brother was sound asleep in his arms.

"We go home," he said. It sickened Ray that they had left his mother and father dead in the mud and that was all Mac had to say. "I'll send a letter asking that their bodies be returned," Mac said. "But I wouldn't get your hopes up. It'll likely be a closed casket funeral. Don't worry laddie, they're both in a much better place now." It didn't help, but Ray knew the old man meant well.

"What about the war?" Ray asked. A long silenced ensued for over a minute.

"You're too young to enlist laddie," he answered.

"Not if I can help it." Ray said. Mac said nothing. Ray looked over his shoulder, out the rear window of the car. The mountains in the distance were shrinking away. A single tear streamed down his cheek as he realized he'd lost someone else that night.


End file.
